Tough one for me. I don't have a strong endorsement. I lean toward Raja Krishnamoorthi, though I'm unhappy about his acceptance of campaign contributions from some pretty Trumpy billionaire donors. This bad judgment aside, I think he's been a good congressman and has an admirable life story. I haven't found any of the other competitive candidates particularly compelling.

I'm not as impressed by Juliana Stratton as I'd like to be. She seems to be the pick of JB Pritzker. I like JB well enough, but I've never been into candidates being anointed, and that very does not going over well in the current political era.

Some of the candidates with no likely path to win seem to be good and interesting people but with so many candidates this cycle, it's hard to have the time to check everybody out.

I have a strong view on this one. Dan Biss is intelligent, principled, and capable. From the moment Jenny and I met him at his first house fundraiser this cycle, we've been on board, and we co-hosted an event for him.

I believe that Daniel listens well, and ultimately makes decisions based on what he thinks is right for his constituents.

Some people in Evanston don't like him because of some decision or another that he's made as mayor. But when you're the mayor, you have to make decisions. They are often hard decisions, and they are guaranteed to upset some people. The people running against either hold legislative offices where they don't have the same individual accountability or are not office holders at all.

There are some other good people in this race whom I hope to vote for in other elections in the future. Phil Andrew, our neighbor, has a great story and an impressive background in public service through his long career in the FBI. He seems to be a person of integrity it has generated some impressive support in this is his first race.

I know Kat Abugazaleh is a somewhat polarizing figure, but the Democrats badly need more candidates like her: intelligent, direct, social media savvy, and young. I hope she will continue in Democratic politics.

Jeff Cohen, Justin Ford, Hoan Huynh, and Mike Simmons are good people in their own right. And of course, Laura Fine has represented our state senate district ably for a number of years, though I'm deeply disappointed by who she's taking money from. We need some more meaningful races like this one. It's unfortunate that so many good people are running against each other in a single race.

Okay, do I need to say anything here? I've got my issues with J.B. in certain areas, but his stewardship of Illinois has been solid. Come on, does anybody expect me to vote for a Republican to lead the state of Illinois right now? That party can't be trusted with anything important at a national level or here at home.

Wow, Bob Fioretti is still around and running for office! He was my alderman in the South Loop 20 years ago, and he was quite a personality. I have to say, I feel positively towards Bob. I know he's overcome some serious health issues, so good for him that he's still at it. But I think Kwame Raoul has done a great job running the AG's office and defending the state against Trump's attacks. I'm sorry, but I'm not voting for a Republican for statewide office right now. No way.

There are some strong candidates here, but Holly has made a strong impression on me, and she's supported by a lot of people I respect. What I like in particular is that she comes from a modest background, and some of the programs that she currently administers as the Lake County Treasurer benefited her family. She knows firsthand the important role that government programs—if well run—can play to lift up families. She has my support.

Of all the races, this is the one I feel most passionate about.

I've known Patrick for quite some time as my president at the New Trier Democrats, and I've been waiting for him to run for something.

Patrick is brilliant on both policy and politics. He's one of those people who simply "has it" when it comes to electoral politics — and beyond that, he's a person of great kindness and integrity. His background is remarkably varied: co-founding a small business with his wife, management consulting, local environmental advocacy, and national campaigning as an Obama field organizer in 2008.

If you don't know Patrick, get to know Patrick. Check out his website, come to one of his events. He's remarkable. You will see.

His primary opponent has conventional Democratic credentials — but is simply not on the same level.

This was a tough one because both Fritz and Pat Hynes seem like capable people. I believe that Fritz has done a good job in a challenging position, and I want to give him some more time.

I'm not going to say anything bad about Toni Preckwinkle. I know some people would call her a part of the Cook County "machine," and maybe so, but my impression is that she's served honestly and done a good job overall. But the mood of the electorate — and my mood — is for some change and new leadership in the Democratic ranks.

Two good candidates, a difficult choice.

Cabonargi is serving by appointment in this position since June 2025. Previously, he was a Board of Review commissioner from 2011 to 2022.

All good candidates. My New Trier Dems endorsed Brady-Davis, Kirkwood, and Sepúlveda, but I really like Sarah Bury from what I've read and people who know. I'm recommending her and Brady-Davis. Between the other two, you're on your own.